Year 10 student Mamjarra has always had ambitions of becoming a pilot, but was confused about how to get there. Last year, Mamjarra was paired with a volunteer coach from CEDR, a leading ADR service provider specialising in conflict resolution. She reflects on how her coaching sessions helped make things clearer.
“Before the Future Frontiers programme, I was already searching online for my options. I had thought I wanted to be a pilot for a long time but everything online was really confusing and I don’t have connections with any pilots so no one could tell me about it.
Within the first session, I thought ‘by the end of this I am going to know what I want to do and how I am going to get there’.
The activities that helped the most were rating what careers I wanted in order, as well as looking at the qualifications needed and what I am currently getting, so that I know what I need to work towards.
My coach from CEDR, Shannell, helped me search for all the qualifications that were needed and what I could do. I had already picked Sociology for my A Levels before the programme, but realised that English is going to be a good mix with that and then I would need Physics as well.
"Shannell helped me so much with so many things. The thing she helped the most with was making me be more dedicated with what I want to do. "
Shannell helped me look into which college I want to pick, and I decided on one that I like because they do Sociology and English and it’s not too far away and it’s really good in terms of results in A Levels.
She arranged for me to talk to a pilot and he told me how he wanted to become a pilot from a young age but his parents were pushing him to be a doctor but he was really passionate about it so kept going. He told me how he worked hard to get the five GCSEs he needed and that I should be really focused and keep my mind on it.
Shannell helped me so much with so many things. The thing she helped the most with was making me be more dedicated with what I want to do. Even though I always wanted to be a pilot, I also had lots of ideas of what else I could do like being a midwife or working with crime. Afterwards, I feel I am more stable in who I want to be.
When I heard about the programme first, I was like ‘maybe I won’t get someone who really understands me or what I want to be’ because often when I say I want to be a pilot, people say that most females don’t do that. When I told Shannell, she was encouraging and I knew we would work well together because she was really nice but also honest and realistic.
"The programme made me more motivated at school and made me feel more passionate about the subjects I need in my GCSEs, like Sociology, Maths and English. "
With each activity we did, she would tell me I was doing good and motivate me - like my own personal motivator!
The Future Frontiers programme, with the help of Shannell and CEDR, made me more motivated at school and made me feel more passionate about the subjects I need in my GCSEs, like Sociology, Maths and English.
I would like to say thank you to Shannell for everything because she has helped me so much in many different ways and she understands me and where I want to be.”
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